affiliation

noun

af·​fil·​i·​a·​tion ə-ˌfi-lē-ˈā-shən 

plural affiliations

: the state or relation of being closely associated or affiliated with a particular person, group, party, company, etc.

The radio station has maintained a longtime affiliation with the concert hall and often has featured performers as guests on the air.

A former Democrat, Joseph McCarthy had switched his affiliation and was elected in the Republican landslide of 1946 …

—Ted Widmer

… hundreds of businessmen owe their success to an affiliation with organized crime.

—William Bastone

Synonyms of affiliation

• association
• partnership
• relationship
• collaboration
• cooperation
• connection

Examples of affiliation in a Sentence

the Little League team, despite its name, the Northern Dynamites, has no affiliation with the Northern Dynamite Company

Recent Examples on the Web

Christopher Williams has both west coast and east coast affiliations having been born in New York City but received his bachelor's degree at Stanford University in Palo Alto, just down the road from Santa Clara's Levi's Stadium where the game will be played. —Jeff Spry, Space.com, 7 Feb. 2026

District 7 voters of all partisan affiliations deserve a clean path to a clean election in 2026. —Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026

Titles and affiliations are provided for identification purposes. —Robert M. Califf, STAT, 6 Feb. 2026

For Jeff Mueller, a Republican precinct chair who was also at the Fort Worth library on Election Day, said Wambsganss’ affiliation with Patriot Mobile wasn’t a concern to him but has been for other voters. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1791, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for affiliation

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration